FBI Charges Middlebury Fire Chief with Embezzlement

Middlebury Fire Chief Paul Perrotti has been indicted by the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation with three counts of thefts concerning programs receiving federal funds.

Perrotti, 47, was arrested Thursday morning and appeared before a judge in Bridgeport where he was released on a $250,000 bond, the United States Attorney’s Office in the District of Connecticut announced in a press release.

Perrotti is accused of embezzling Middlebury Volunteer Fire Department funds to pay for unauthorized personal expenses as well as unauthorized expenses associated with Paul Perrotti Electric, LLC, a firm Perrotti has operated since 2010.

According to the indictment, between 2011 and 2013, Perrotti allegedly used the department’s operating accounts for payments that included checks paid directly to himself, checks paid directly to PPE and to the employees of PPE as well as checks paid to vendors of PPE. Perrotti also made checks to third parties for personal loans given to him. Perrotti also submitted invoices to the Town of Middlebury for expenses he claimed were incurred by the fire department but were in fact expenses related to PPE.

It is further alleged that Perrotti opened a Home Depot credit card account in the name of the fire department to purchase items for his business. He also used the fire department’s debit card to withdraw cash for personal expenses.

In total, the indictment alleges that Perrotti embezzled more than $70,000 from the Middlebury Volunteer Fire Department.

The charge against Perrotti carries a maximum 10 year term in prison.

In May, the FBI removed boxes of files and the computer the fire department uses to manage finances from the department. At the time, Perrotti said agents came to the station after a complaint was made charging malfeasance and misuse of department funds.

Image via Shutterstock

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